Scars Make Us Beautiful
by Superagaentv
Summary: Daryl didn't expect to find anyone he could relate to in this crazy world, let alone someone he could care deeply for. But is love enough in this apocalypse?
1. Chapter 1

He'd stopped when music had suddenly blared from a nearby building, his heartbeat suddenly in his ears. Every walker from miles around would be attracted to the sound. Looking around hastily for high ground, he felt the hair rise up on the back of his neck. Turning quickly, he had his weapon poised – but saw nothing.

Daryl stood up straighter, forcing himself to breath. It felt as though every moment of his life was a continual loop of adrenaline high and PTSD triggers.

Something snapped beside him and he felt every muscle move defensively as his eyes adjusted to the form in front of him – and he pried his finger off the trigger.

A woman clad in black gestured for him to follow, and he did - after a moment. There was nothing threatening about her. She wore a leather jacket, black pants, and wraps on areas the walkers might want to bite on. This woman also moved quickly through the streets, weaving her way through rubble and streets without slowing down.

The building she led him too was heavily fortified. The front door had been cemented shut, windows boarded and the fence had been turned into a spiked warning to anyone going by. There were some people waiting by an SUV, and Daryl felt anxious again – but the woman waved and fished something out of her jacket pocket, removing the face mask she wore.

It was a family she was addressing, or at least what resembled a family. A man and a woman with two teenage children standing beside them.

"The music should distract them long enough for you to have an uneventful drive out. Just use the marked areas on the map," her voice was young sounding, but it was the lack of hardness in her face that surprised him the most. "Good luck."

"Thanks," the man replied, offering her a hug. "Stay safe."

The pleasantries ended there, with the family getting into the vehicle and driving away, leaving Daryl and this stranger alone.

"Sorry about that," she said, breaking the silence. "I didn't see you when I turned on the music, or I would have waited until you passed."

"Why do you care?" he asked, feeling the bitterness of soul leaking into his voice.

She was surprised, blinking at him, and he took a moment to study her face. It was soft, with freckles everywhere, and dark, cold, eyes that were the only indication that she'd seen _things._ The rest of her was, at first glance, lovely. She was well muscled, he could see the bulge of her arms even under the bulk of the leather, and her legs reminded him of how strong people had once been.

"You're here looking for supplies, right?" she countered and Daryl saw no change in her expression. He nodded. "Then be glad I did let you drown under a pile of the undead. All the major stores worth hitting are east of us, the opposite direction the walkers are headed in."

It still didn't answer his question, but he felt a prick of guilt at being suspicious of her. In his own silence, she too was sizing him up – but she did it more discreetly than he had.

"Look, don't bother wondering when penny is going to drop," she crossed her arms and cocked her hip as she spoke, and it was then he noticed the ice pick and climbing tool trucked into her belt. "It's just me out here. Think of me as the good fairy. I help survivors passing through get supplies, and in return, all I ask is that they help me get what I need. It's win-win. They get a place to stay that is safe and we can all eat regularly."

"That's it?"

"Yup."

He squinted at her, wondering why she could offer something so altruistic in a world so blatantly designed to favor the wicked. "I'm good thanks."

Raising an eyebrow, she shrugged. "Suit yourself. The music ends in two hours, just as a heads up."

Turning away from him, she started jogging towards the back fence near this house – which looked to be as heavily fortified as the front.

Standing, he pondered how long it would take him to get everything on his own: find a place with enough supplies for the group, get gas for his car – the list only went on. It _would_ be faster with another person – and he didn't want to be out in a strange city in the dark.

"Hold on," he called out, watching her stop and turn to look at him. "I –

"Come on," she cut him off, saving him from trying to take back his words. "we can head out early tomorrow."

He felt himself smile to himself once her back was turned, jogging forward to see where she led him. The back fence also had zombies spiked as a warning, but as she leapt up and over the fence like she was a rabbit – it suddenly seemed far less threatening.

The backyard was _huge_ , in fact it was the size of three yards combined into one. There was a chicken coop on the far side, a garden area and an area for other things he couldn't exactly say what they were as he jogged after her.

The woman stopped at a metal door in the ground, unlocking a padlock before pulling the heavy door upwards. She held up open for him as he climbed down, waiting for him to reach the bottom before coming down herself.

/

The smell of rice and oil made his stomach growl. They weren't exactly starving in Alexandra, but there were some things they just didn't have – and rice, spices, and red meat weren't one of them.

As he sat, smelling the food she was cooking, he took a moment to really take in the bunker. It was a living room that had been expanded deeper underground, and there was a lot of space. He didn't know who had redesigned the space, but he found the space safe. Curtains had been strung up in the ceiling, in between were mattresses and blankets along with books and other things scattered in each little area.

The sofa that had been in the bunker had been pushed to the far wall, near the TV and other things that were no longer usable without a generator. The kitchen items were hooked up to solar powered units, but weren't being used. Instead, the stranger was using a portable cooktop stove, which worked just as well and took less power.

There was a room nearby he guessed was hers, since she went in and out of it often enough. All her food was stored in the main area, in handmade cupboards with her pot and pans. Solar powered lamps, along with battery powered lamps, were hung from strategically placed hooks. Candles burned too, but only a few, and it looked like they didn't burn very often.

A heavy metal door was the only thing that was locked in the whole place, which he found unsettling, but she had just asked for it to remain as is. That was her only stipulation, don't bother with that door. There weren't any weird noises coming from behind it, so he didn't feel particularly worried. Yet.

She wasn't asking any questions either. Not his name or where he was from, and he hadn't offered.

First thing she'd done was change out of her outdoor clothes and into sweats and a t-shirt. It was odd in his mind to see someone dressed so casually, but he supposed that she didn't really have much to worry about down here.

The freezer was the best item in the whole place, which was plugged into to the largest generator there. Inside was a variety of meats she'd managed to keep, mostly chicken and deer, but he wasn't going to complain.

"How did you make all this?" he asked finally, sitting on a cushion near her.

"I didn't."

"You just found it?"

There was a pause as she stirred the meat and checked the pot of rice. "Sort of. You could say it came to me. I've made a lot of adjustments, but otherwise it's the same."

"What made you stay here instead of trying to find other survivors?"

Shaking her head, she smiled absently at the food. "I don't have anywhere to go, I guess."

He found that odd, but he didn't press her. "Would you mind grabbing bowls? It's the first shelf there."

/

Her name, as it turned out, was Laura.

Their conversation had gotten easier as the evening turned into night, with the meal had really hit the spot for him and having company turned out to be very nice – for once.

She was from Canada, as it turned out, having come to the States for one reason or another, and had been trapped here ever since. Even with the end of the world, Laura had shown herself to be clever – building a small life in the wasteland.

They played cards, told stories, and simply enjoyed being alone in a place they were both protected from everything above ground.

He'd gone to bed feeling somewhat safe, but in the darkness of his nightmares – nothing was as it seemed.

 _A darkened room._

 _Glenn's face._

 _Carol's voice calling out to him._

 _Negan's laughter._

 _A cold, unspeakable pain._

A touch startled him awake, and he shot upright; his hands clawing for whatever was out there. Blinking, he pulled his hand away from where he'd grabbed her – wincing at his own marks on her shoulder. In the dim light, her face registered in his mind.

She didn't ask if he was ok, instead, Laura sat beside him, gripping his hand as she waited for him to breath normally again. When he finally relaxed, his breathing fixed once more, she offered him water – which he took – and sat gently on the mattress beside him. All the while he kept one hand on his body to let him know he wasn't alone.

After some time, Laura got up to leave, but he reached out for her hand. He wasn't sure why, or what he wanted, but he also didn't want her to leave. Both of them didn't speak – and didn't need to – as Laura sank beside him, putting her hands out for him to take as they both drifted into slumber.


	2. Chapter 2

Morning came early, though not because of birds chirping or the bright rays of the sun, but because of the sheer pounding in her ears. It was – or could be called – any number of things.

Habit.

Nightmare.

PTSD.

Anxiety.

Fear.

There was no true label for where her mind brought her every night.

 _Locked inside a room, no hope of escape and only the darkness to quell every earthy need._

 _The sound of chains, metal on metal._

 _A lock opening, or shutting – she'd didn't know. She never knew._

 _The taste of blood in her mouth to quench the ache of hunger in the pit of her stomach._

 _Staying silent, mind over matter, don't give them what they want._

But here, in the dim light of the battery powered tea lights she'd strung around the room, Laura forced herself to breathe deeply, not to wake her guest – who'd woken a few hours earlier.

His hands were on her waist, his chest rising evenly – his mind far from the dreams that had made him scream out.

Many people had come through this bunker, each one with their own demons haunting them – both awake and asleep.

There as just something about this man that made her…she didn't know what it made her. Something protective and scared had crept up when she hadn't expected it.

 _I've only known him for a minute,_ she chastised herself, _get it together._

Sighing, Laura tried to close her eyes and go back to sleep – but that was impossible in this moment. Her body was wracked with the leftover anxiety her mind had dredged up from the depths of her memories.

Humming to herself softly, she reached out to touch him – stopping before her fingers made contact with his skin.

 _This isn't your friend,_ she reminded herself sternly, _this isn't your pain._

"Morning," Daryl's gruff voice whispered, his eyes half open. "What time is it?"

"Early," she answered, trying not to sound too awake. "Go back to sleep."

"Why are you awake?"

Such a simple question.

Why didn't she have a simple answer to that?

"Bad dreams," she replied, trying to sound casual. "It's nothing."

He went quiet before moving closer, propping himself up on one arm as he watched her face. In such a short time, they were very comfortable near one another – which frightened her, yet she wasn't afraid. That terrified her much more.

"It's not nothing," he replied quietly, holding her gaze. "it's never nothing."

"Hmm," she shut her eyes for a moment, feeling the warmth from his hands and the strength of his gaze. "You're right," Laura smiled and shook her head. "you're right. But what does it matter right now?"

Returning her smile, Daryl gave a small shrug. "Everything matters, in the end."

"Even a person you won't ever see again?"

He didn't say a word, but kept his gaze steady. Laying himself back down, he made sure to have her closer as she started drifting back to sleep.

* * *

Daryl awoke to the smell of pancakes – or something remotely similar – and no person beside him. She was in the small kitchen area, still wearing what she had the night before. A sports bra and a pair of loose fitting shorts. Her hair was unbrushed, making her look somewhat wild in the dim light.

Sitting up slowly, he squinted to identify marks he saw on her skin – slowly realising that they were scars on her wrist and back. Faint, but there. Not bite marks, mind you, but marks that would have had to been inflicted none the less.

"Morning," Laura's voice was steady, and he nodded a greeting as he became more and more awake. "Hungry?"

"I think so," he offered, unsure. "What is this, exactly?"

"Pancake batter I have thinned out, I think that's called a crepe? Or was called a crepe," she shrugged easily as she flipped the food over. "And freshly grown strawberries form my garden, and nut butter from one of the stores. The last of it, sadly."

He took the plate she offered and began eating slowly. He couldn't quite decipher what she was feeling, she was closed off this morning.

"Would you like some eggs?" Laura inquired, watching him with a peaceful intensity. Daryl nodded, feeling guilty again that he couldn't do anything in return. "I thought about where we can go today, and I think the Costco is our best bet. There is a u-hall on the street that would make for a good transport vehicle, and I have the keys."

"A u-hall?"

"Yeah," she smiled absently. "Pack a lot in and only make one trip instead of five."

He nodded as he chewed, not exactly in a hurry to get back to Alexandria. She explained that she'd meet him at the building after setting the music off to distract the walkers, help him load the vehicle and then send him on his way and head back here.

"What about what you need?" he asked, aware of her rules.

Laura paused, watching him for a moment as she thought. "I'll bring a backpack and throw a few things in. I just did a run a few days ago, so I'm not really in a bad way."

"Have you ever thought about joining a bigger group?" he asked, not really wanting to leave her here alone – with the Saviors still out and about.

"No," her answer was immediate. "I'm not big on crowds."

Daryl narrowed his eyes, not quite understanding her aversion but respecting that groups weren't for everyone. Chance of survival was higher though, percentage wise.

"You've not afraid of being out here all alone?"

Laura gestured for his plate and he took the helping of eggs she scooped on his plate. "I just…don't want to spend the rest of my life trying to pretend like this isn't the end of the world. I would much rather help those who come through than wander aimlessly hoping for something that might never come. I also don't ever want to be in the middle of people fighting over whose dick is bigger and better. Does that make sense?"

Smirking, Daryl set his plate down. "Yeah. Just…" he looked around, searching for what was there, on the tip of his tongue. "Doesn't seem right, leaving you here."

She laughed, shaking her head as she did so, "I don't exactly need protecting, but thanks for the sentiment." Sitting back, she kept smiling as she ate her own meal, almost never looking away from him. The feeling, he had to say, was mutual.


	3. Chapter 3

As he pulled up the gates of Alexandria, Daryl put his hand out the window and signalled. Taping his fingers on the steering wheel, he drove the beast of a vehicle into the compound, feeling anxious for no real reason.

Putting the u-hall in park, he took several deep breathes to steady himself. Rick and the others started gathering, which was his cue to climb out from the cab and nodded a greeting.  
"What's all this?" Rick inquired, gesturing to the u-hall.

Daryl walked to the back as he answered, "Supplies. Hit a bit of luck in a town near here."

Pulling open the door, Rick smiled at the sight. "You really did," he beamed, slapping Daryl on the shoulder. "This is…well done man."

"I had some help." Daryl admitted slowly, watching as people came to help unpack all the food and other supplies.

Rick raised an eyebrow. "What sort of help?"

"I ran into a woman who's on her own out there," he replied, thinking of Laura's leather jacket and face mask as she killed a walker. "She helped me out."

Rick nodded slowly. "Do you think she followed you back here?"

Daryl shook his head. "No."

"How sure are you?"

Daryl felt a surge of annoyance, recalling her statement about why she didn't want to be in large groups. "I'm sure."

Rick nodded, then a flash of thought crossed his mind. "How many supplies were at this place?"

Daryl had to think for a moment. "Fair amount," he guessed. "These were stores with large warehouses. We only went to one."

"We should send you back there with a few folks and get this thing loaded up and drive it to the Kingdom, Rick shrugged, smiling. "Share the wealth."

Daryl stared at him. It was a good idea, but at the same time he didn't want to encroach on Laura's space - or her ability to help other survivors. "What about Laura?"

"Laura?" Rick blinked at him. "Oh, is that the woman you met?" A nod. "Well, if she helped you once, wouldn't she help you again?"

"I think so," Daryl admitted, though he was hesitant. "She helps survivors. Place to stay, food and drink. Gets them on the road safely. Doesn't feel right to just go in and take stuff from that area without at least letting her know."

Rick stared at him for a moment, then shrugged again. "You're call. But the Kingdom could need it. Hill Top too."

He was right, of course, but Daryl felt like all three communities descending on Laura's small place was a bit much.

"Maybe we can take a few folks from each place," Michonne suggested, as she passed with a bag of rice in her arms. "They can fill up a truck and we can use this," she gestured to the vehicle. "-for the rest of stuff. We could also hit a few different places if you've got a contact in the city."

"That's a really good idea." Rick kissed her temple as she passed, turning to Daryl expectantly. "What do you think?"

Daryl didn't feel like arguing, and the supplies could mean a lot for all three communities. "I'll get it done."

* * *

Carol sat beside him as the u-hall bounced over the uneven ground leaving Hill Top. A small convoy followed him, two cars from the Kingdom and two from Hill Top. Both places had agreed that the u-hall could fit the majority of each places need for food and water, though Daryl wondered how long before they'd need a lot of gas for the tank.

"So," Carol started, looking out the window. "What's she like?"

"Laura?" Daryl replied, glancing ahead to the small car carrying Rick and Michonne. "She's a survivor, like us."

"Yeah, but she's stayed out there. Is she unhinged?"

"You stayed alone for a while too." Daryl reminded her softly.

"Not the whole time," Carol rebutted, throwing an annoyed glance at him. "I just don't want us walking into another bad situation."

He did understand. Each place they went had led them into more and more dangerous situations. "I trust her."

"You don't know her." Carol reminded him gently.

"Yeah," he sighed. "At first I wondered why she'd bother helping a stranger, but maybe….maybe it's me, or us, with everything that's happened. Maybe trusting is the normal."

Carol snorted before laughing. "Yeah, right."

* * *

Pulling into the semi-familiar street, Daryl pulled the u-hall to a stop and tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. Rick and the others were already climbing out of their rides and looking at the reinforced house with neutral expressions. Stepping out after a minute or two, Daryl cleared his throat as he came up behind them

"Who cements a door shut?" Carol wondered aloud, crossing her arms.

"Someone who doesn't want company." Rick replied grimly.

"It was rhetorical." Carol retorted, not looking away from the house.

"Do you know how to get in?" Rick questioned, turning to look at Daryl. The others seemed to wonder the same thing.

He nodded, then looked toward the back fence. "I should probably go in first and see if she's there."

"Good idea."

Hopping the fence, he went to the door and knocked once, stepping back. The padlock was off, so he assumed Laura was inside.

"Daryl?" He snapped his head up and found himself smiling at her. She was exiting the chicken coop, a small basket in her hands. Her eyes darted quickly to the fence and her expression changed. "What's going on?"

Rick and the others were already climbing over, and Daryl felt anger bubble under his skin.  
"Who are they?" her voice had changed into a harder version than he'd heard a few days before.

Stepping up so he was in between the others and Laura, Daryl, held out a hand for them to stop. "They're from my group," her gaze flickered to him for a moment. "They wondered if you could help us get supplies for some other groups too."

"You must be Laura," Rick greeted her with a hand, which she didn't take. "I'm Rick. This is Michonne, Carol, Morgan, Jesus, John,-"

"Stop." Laura barked, a frown on her face. "What do you want?"

"Didn't Daryl explain?" Rick chuckled. "I thought this would be alright, since this is your thing."

"My _thing?_ " Laura echoed, her tone growing more icy. "I help survivors find food and water."

"Exactly." Rick grinned, and Daryl thought he saw fumes rise out of Laura's head.

"You're not exactly one or two people. You're a small contingent," Laura countered, never breaking eye contact with Rick. "A heavily armed contingent."

"You help people. We're people. We have people depending on us, you should _want_ to help us." Rick growled, causing Michonne to put a hand on his arm and Laura raised an eyebrow.

"Last I checked," Laura spat. "Daryl left with an entire u-hall full of supplies."

Carol stepped forward, putting herself between Rick and this new stranger. "You did, and that was really great," she smiled that _all knowing_ Carol type smile. "-it's just that there are two groups who are really struggling since the Saviours have been a problem. This could help a lot of people."

Laura immediately looked to Daryl and glared at him. "I thought I made it clear how I feel about dic- groups."

"Anything would really help," Jesus chimed, walking forward. "Medicine, food, seeds – we have lost almost everything. We just thought you might know the best places."

Laura sighed, shaking her head as she made a clicking sound with her tongue. "How much do you need?"

"We thought maybe another u-hall full, along with packing our cars up." Michonne stated, her voice easy.

"All food?" Laura asked, clearly thinking.

"We'll take anything." Jesus stated again. "We don't want this to affect what you've been doing."

Laura sighed, the tension in her shoulders lessoning. "I will check the map, but…" she nodded to herself, glancing at Daryl – who nodded slightly. "I think I know a few places that would work."

The whole group relaxed, with the rest of the folks finally coming over the fence and approaching without fear.

"Are you all wanting to stay the night?" Laura asked, after doing a quick head count.

"If you have room," Carol replied gently. "Daryl spoke so highly of you an-

"You don't have to do that." Laura spoke softly, low enough that the others couldn't hear. Carol blinked at her. "Pretend. Just be yourself. Life is literally too short to do differently."

Carol half smiled at the woman before nodding. "We would like to stay, yes."

"Ok. I think I have enough room, but..." Laura visibly counted the people now. "You might have to share beds."

"I think we can manage." Carol smiled, looking around the area.

* * *

Down in the bunker, people were getting settled in while Laura and Jesus were cooking. Daryl, having not really had a chance to apologize for springing everyone on her, took a moment to talk to her. Putting a hand on her waist, he felt her tense. "Can I help with anything?"

Turning into him, she offered the smallest smile. "Thank you, but I think we've got it. It's not fancy. Fried rice and eggs."

"And chicken," Jesus grinned, pulling the bird out from the water it had been sitting in. "It's thawed."

"There's propane in the tanks under the barbeque, if you want to use that." Laura offered, and Daryl thought Jesus was going to leap into the air with excitement.

"Do you have any spices?" Jesus inquired.

"Uh," Laura gestured to a small part of the cupboard. "In there, I think."

"This is going to be delicious." Jesus was saying, happily rooting through his choices.

"I'm sorry." Daryl whispered, leaning against her. "I didn't mean to throw you into this."

Shrugging, Laura offered him a carrot piece. "Shit happens, I'll get over it."

"I just wanted you to know."

"I got the feeling it wasn't your idea," she whispered back, continuing to chop up carrots. "It will be fine. Everyone will be happy and then they'll forget all about it."

"Yeah," he muttered, looking around. "I just don't want you getting dragged into something for being charitable."

"I won't be. This is a once and done type deal," Laura flatly shut that avenue of conversation down. "And remember, you don't have to protect me."

"I didn't forget," he growled, stepping just slightly closer. "but I want to."

As he moved away, she looked over her shoulder after him before returning to preparing the meal.


	4. Chapter 4

It was late now, some people were playing cards while others had fallen asleep, when Daryl approached the room Laura had retreated to. Knocking gently, he watched her jump in surprise.

Turning around and grabbing a t-shirt, Laura gasped. "Everything ok?" He nodded and she seemed to deflate a bit. "Sorry. Come in."

"Why are you apologizing?"

Looking lost for a moment, she pulled the t-shirt on and sat on the bed. "I'm Canadian?" Daryl chuckled as he sat beside her, and she smiled back at him. "So…"

He looked at his hands. "I wanted to ask you something." Laura put a hand on his, leaning forward a bit as she nodded. He felt afraid of the others knowing, something she seemed to sense. "Can I bunk in here tonight?"

Her expression softened and she squeezed his hand again, leaning in so their foreheads were touching. "Yes."

"Daryl?" Carol's voice startled them both. "Oh, there you are," He stood, still holding Laura's hand- forcing her to stand as well. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt."

"You didn't." Laura replied, giving his hand a squeeze before letting him go.

Walking back, he resisted the urge to go back and drift into a safe slumber.

"What was that all about?"

He shrugged.

"Daryl," Carol's voice was low. "I haven't seen you like that with someone for a long time, but you barely know her."

"Yeah, I can't explain it." He admitted, coming to sit down beside her. "She just…knows."

Carol nodded slowly. "Even… everything that happened?"

"I just,' he took a deep breathe. "don't have to say anything. No explaining, just being."

"Wow." Carol breathed out, looking up at the ceiling. "That's…intense."

He laughed and shook his head. "No shit."

"She feels the same?"

Daryl sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I didn't ask."

"Well," Carol huffed as she nudged him. "Ask."

"Then what?" Daryl retorted softly. "She's not just going to ride into the sunset with me."

"You could always ask to borrow Jesus' horse." Carol teased, laughing at his reaction.

"Hey Daryl, can I borrow you?" Rick's voice cut in and Daryl groaned as he stood. "What's your take on this place?" Daryl blinked at him. "I mean, how are we going to hit all these stores tomorrow?"

"Didn't you talk all this through with Laura?"

Rick nodded. "She said something about a distraction while we hit the stores, but I don't know."

"She plays music," Daryl explained, feeling defensive on Laura's behalf. "Loudly. Worked well the last time."

"Maybe you should go with her," Rick offered, as though he'd just thought of it. "Extra support."

"She doesn't need it," Daryl objected, squinting at Rick. "Look at what she's done here."

Rick nodded, taking another sweep of the area. "It's really something. But that's exactly why we need you out there with her. We need more people like her at Alexandria."

Daryl blinked at him, taking a step back. "Are you trying to recruit her?"

"Why not?"

Shaking his head, Daryl sighed. "I'll talk to her."

"Thanks Daryl, I knew I could count on you," Rick threw an arm around Daryl's shoulders and gave him a squeeze. "This is going to be great for everyone."

Feeling anxious once again, Daryl rubbed his shoulder and tried to keep his mindset positive. Even now, surrounded by people he trusted didn't seem to matter, he could feel the fear and panic rising in his chest.

"Hey." Laura's voice seemed to float towards him, and he turned to see her being hugged by Jesus. Laughter crescendoed out from her lungs as Jesus lifted her off her feet and spun her around, and it seemed to wash away any forms of anxiety creeping up inside him.

"You looked like you needed a hug," Jesus stated easily, putting her down and avoiding her trying to jab at him.

"I guess I did," Laura smiled, running a hand through her hair, which Daryl found deceptively long. "You should let me return the favor."

"No thanks," Jesus retorted, smiling still. "Your kind of hug looks painful."

"You should try my massages."

"Uh, no." Jesus shook his head. "I want to be able to walk."

As Laura kept walking to the kitchen area to grab some water, Daryl wondered if her affinity to interact with people was learned before or after the apocalypse. He certainly admired her kindness – a strength many people had lost – but wondered if she could survive in a world made up of Negans.

* * *

The lights had all been dimmed when he finally retreated to the back room. Laura was already lying under a few blankets, her face lost in the pillows but the gasps and audible sounds of pain made it through the barriers she'd made.

Silently removing his dirty clothes, he pulled on a shirt she'd left out – same with the first night he'd slept there – and crawled in beside her. She startled, her breathing ragged, as he put an arm around her gently.

"It's ok." He whispered gently, wanting her to feel safe in her space.

Laura made a sound as she relaxed into him, though he could feel her shiver as he settled comfortably beside her. He wondered what haunted her – or who, if it was a who – and hoped it was nothing like what he had been through.

He found himself drifting as he focused on her heartbeat steadying, feeling peaceful once again. It was crazy, he knew it, but nothing much made sense in this world anymore. There were so many terrible things happening, and he honestly wanted them to have something go right.

"Daryl." Laura's voice was sleepy and muddled.

"I'm here."

Moving slowly, she turned to face him, his arm still around her waist as he felt her hands on his chest, moving up to his neck and cheek. He leaned into her kiss and they were still for an instant, embracing the tender sweetness of this moment. They both pulled away before slipping into a dreamless slumber.


	5. Chapter 5

Daryl sat on the front steps of the building waiting for Rick and the others to finish loading the SUV. The music was playing in the distance, most of the walkers having been drawn out of the shop as planned, letting the group work swiftly and easily.

This particular shop was a camping outlet, with prepacked meals and a scattering of ammunition still in the storage area of the warehouse. They could easily get sleeping bags, some clothes and other supplies that would come in handy. They had already hit another major food store that had given them ample dried and canned goods. It was a good day for all the groups, though Daryl wasn't in a very cheery mood. He looked to the sky, recalling the events of the early morning with disgust.

"Hey, Daryl," Rick's voice was low as he walked down the steps. "I want to apologize for how things went down this morning."

Making eye contact with him, Daryl wondered if he was here because he actually felt guilt or if someone had been him up to it. "I'm not the one you should apologize to."

"Yeah, well," Rick shifted his weight from foot to foot, hands on his hips. "I don't think she'd be very receptive to seeing us at the moment."

"Why?" Daryl inquired, squinting at him. "Why did you do it?"

"I was curious," Rick admitted, sighing. "I admit I overreacted-

"Overreacted?" Daryl scoffed, shaking his head. "You did a bit more than that."

Rick scoffed, throwing his hands in the air. "You weren't a bit curious as to what was behind that door?"

"No."

"Well, damnit Daryl, you can't tell me you didn't find it a bit suspicious," Rick scoffed again, now looking at his boots. "I can't exactly have an unvetted stranger being brought into our midst."

"Except she wasn't going to join us," Daryl countered, his voice cold. "I told you that."

"I saw the way you looked at her," Rick lowered his voice, squatting down to be on eye level with his friend. "Even if you decided to visit her on and off, I can't just pretend I don't care about you Daryl. With everything that's happened-"

"You think I'd leave, just like that?"

"No, j-"

"Rick," Daryl growled, turning his face toward the music. "not everyone is going to be like Negan."

"Yeah, well," Rick's voice had changed into that softer, more meaningful tone. "I guess I'm not used to people being what they say they are."

Daryl huffed and stood as more people came out of shop, loading the last into the SUV with smiles and good vibes.

"Hey man," Jesus gave a wave as he approached. "We're all good to go."

"Excellent," Rick stood as well, moving towards his own ride as he exchanged glances with a few of the crew. "But I think we should stop and have a chat with Laura before we go back."

"Do you think that's wise?" Michonne asked, crossing her arms. "She was pretty adamant that we not come back."

"We owe her that" Rick stated firmly, with a nod to Daryl. "This will help us rebuild greatly, and it would be good to keep her as an ally," he cleared his throat, nodding to himself. "and...it's what's right."

* * *

Approaching the building, Daryl glanced Laura's figure as she stood on the roof, watching for the signal. Grabbing the rope, he started to climb up – just as he'd watched her do a few hours before.

She didn't look his way, though he doubted she could hear him – the music was deafening up close. He approached and put a hand on her shoulder, which she merely turned her head toward him. Tears had marked her cheeks and made her eyes puffy.

He gestured and she nodded, moving towards the speaker system. She fiddled with cords and the generators and the music shut off abruptly. Ears ringing, Daryl reached for her hand – and she moved away.

"Laura."

"Don't. I've done my part."

"Please," his voice was a little more than a gravelly whisper. "please."

Laura shook her head, looking at him through those hopeless eyes. "I didn't want anyone to know," breathlessly she answered. "I thought you understood."

"I do," he stepped closer, putting and hand on her arm gently. "You _know_ I do."

She stared at him, her eyes untrusting, as she wrapped her arms around herself. "Why are you here?"

Daryl stepped closer, pulling her into a hug that melted her steeliness – and she hugged him back fiercely after a moment of hesitation. "Rick wants to apologize," he whispered, feeling her tense slightly. "and I would like you to come back with us." Laura pulled back, but he tightened his grip as be burying his face in her neck. "Come with me."

"I can't."

"Why?"

She stayed silent, shivering now. He knew she wanted to, he could feel her intent as clearly as his own. But, like him, she was trapped by the trauma of what had occurred in that little room.

" _Please._ "

Laura nodded into his shoulder after a moment or two, "Ok."

Pulling away, he smiled softly before steeling himself before having to go back to the others. Giving her hand a squeeze, he turned feeling less alone than he had in some time.

* * *

The ride back to Alexandria was uneventful, if not tense. Laura rode in anxious silence between himself and Carol, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. When it came time to unload, she helped, though she didn't say much.

Jesus hugged her, saying something Daryl couldn't hear before parting, but beyond that she didn't go out of her way to interact with anyone.

With the group pulling into Alexandria, he saw her tense causing him to reach over and touch her leg . As the gates opened, he saw the people gathering in anticipation of the supplies. Carl was there, looking wiser than his years, smiling and nodding to reassure the others.

"Just pull it up there," Rick called, stepping out of his ride. "We'll need every able body to help unload."

"Who's that dad?" Carl asked, watching Laura as she climbed down out of the cab.

"Laura," Rick waved her over, but she didn't move towards him. Chuckling, Rick shrugged it off easily as he watched the newcomer open the back door of the u-haul. "We met in the city."

"You alright?" Carol asked Laura, causing Daryl glanced over at the two women uneasily.

"Would you be?' Laura replied, her voice low as she pulled her things from the back.

"No, not really," Carol's voice was dry as she heaved a bag of flour out. " but talking about it helps."

Laura merely shrugged in return, hoisting a full bag onto her back, as well as a holding a duffle bag or two in her hands. "What's that saying about beating dead horses?"

"Hey," Carl approached, offering to take something. "I can show you were to stay."

"She's staying with me," Daryl announced, taking a bag from the vehicle, smirking at the expression on the boy's face. "Problem?"

"No," Carl grinned. "Just, surprised."

"Join the club." Laura chirped, throwing a small smile towards him.


	6. Chapter 6

Three days had passed since Laura had followed Daryl back to the compound, marking this new start with unease and more than slight distrust. Everyone was pleasant enough, but they watched her like a group of blackbirds guarding a nest – in a second they could descend on her in mass and chase her far away.

She didn't blame them, exactly, after hearing tidbits of their troubles from different people in the group, but she found their callousness troubling. Each person seemed more or less happy to kill to get their way – something beyond Laura's comprehension.

Something else that she minded was their silent judgement of her actions. She had long ago formed habits to stop her mind from unravelling, including engaging in strenuous exercise, which none of them seemed to understand.

 _"_ _Who exercises during the apocalypse?"_

Sweating, and shaking from exertion, Laura stood with her hands on her knees as she focused on breathing. She'd lost count of how many of each movement she'd done, going until she basically collapsed, but she felt better – her anxiety about being here quieted for a moment or two.

"Hey," Carl's voice surprised her, making her look up and wipe the sweat away for her eyes. "Want some water?"

"Sure," she managed, walking towards him as he extended a hand holding a bottle. "Thanks."

"Do you normally do this every day?" he asked, not a hint of malice or judgement in his voice. She grinned and nodded as she drank, trying not to chug it back. "Why? Walkers aren't that fast." Lowering the bottle, she returned his gaze and he frowned. "Oh."

"Sorry the reason isn't more pleasant."

Carl smiled suddenly and shook his head. "I don't think anyone really has thought about it in any other way. We use cars to get around mostly, so I doubt anyone is thinking about outrunning those."

"But you do scouting missions, right?"

Carl hesitated. "Not as much as I'd like. My dad isn't really happy about the idea of being out there, regardless of how able I am."

Laura moved her head around, stretching out her muscles. "I guess I can understand that."

He seemed to study her for a moment as she finished the water, his expression changing. "I heard about…well, my dad fucked up back in the city," Carl lowered his voice. "I just wanted to let you know that we're not bad people, we've just been through a lot."

Laura frowned, uneasy again. She wondered how many people know about the whole bunker door incident. "Right."

"Can I show you something?" he asked, and Laura took a moment before nodding.

Leading the way, Carl stopped to pick up a small portion of food before heading down to the basement of a particularly well-guarded house. Laura mentally reminded herself to make a note of how many guns were floating around this place.

A man she hadn't been introduced to was sitting by the basement door, his face marked by a terrible burn.

"Hey Dwight," Carl said, his tone flat. "I'm just going down for a bit."

"Your dad know?" Dwight replied, his eyes on Laura.

"Does he need to?"

"Who's this?" Dwight asked, narrowing his eyes at Laura.

"Laura, this is Dwight. Dwight, Laura." Carl did the informal introduction quickly as he opened the basement door, gesturing for Laura to go first.

"Just don't do anything stupid." Dwight growled, going back to the book her was reading.

 _Cheery,_ she thought, heading down the stairs. Reaching the bottom, she saw there was a cell built in the room. It wasn't perfectly constructed, but it was still a cell. There was light down there, dim but there.

"Woah," said a voice, with a sort of disgusting charisma that made your skin crawl. "Didn't know they made 'em like that anymore. Damn."

Squinting, Laura saw the form on the bed after he moved. Carl moved past her, sliding the tray of food under the bars.

"This your new girlfriend Carl, cause damn, wish I'd seen her before."

"Ignore him," Carl told her, stepping back. "all he has is talk now. Should be dead."

"Yeah, yeah, all that talk and yet, I'm still here," The man grinned, getting closer to the bars. "Damn girl, you are like _Marilyn_ type hot. You hittin that Carl, cause I know I would be."

Laura glanced at Carl, whose hands were balled into firsts. "Is _he_ what you wanted to show me?"

"Yeah, we can go know."

"Awe, before we even get to know one another?" the man cooed, his eyes never leaving her. "That's harsh man."

Laura turned as Carl motioned to the stairs, walking up while ignoring everything that was coming out of the man's mouth. She followed him out of the house, watching as the young man showed his age while trying to control the anger inside him.

"So," she started, sitting next to him on the steps of a nearby house.

"That's Negan." Carl spat, looking out at the rest of Alexandria – slight recognition of that name echoing in Laura's mind. "He murdered my friends, tortured people and created the Saviours like a cult, worshipping him." She waited as he talked, letting him vent his anger to her about this man, before reaching out and touching his arm with her hand. "He should have been killed for what he did."

"Would that have made it better?" she inquired softly.

Carl turned to look at her. "I don't know. Don't you think a person like that shouldn't be allowed to live?"

Laura pursed her lips in thought as she turned her yes to the sky. "I don't think that is up to us."

"Yeah," Carls voice seemed far away. "not many people would agree with you though."

"Hey," Daryl's gruff voice cut into her thoughts, and she turned her head towards it. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Just talking." Carl relied, standing. "You guys headed out or something?"

"Or something," Daryl growled, extending a hand gently out to Laura, helping her up. "You ok?"

"Yeah," she shrugged, waiting for Carl to wander off before continuing. "He took me to meet Negan."

"He what?" Daryl growled, gripping her hand a bit tighter.

"I am not sure if he wanted permission to hate him or was telling me subtly not to fuck with this group," Laura returned the grip on his hand with a mildly amused smile. "If you can call that subtle."

Daryl smiled back at her, though it was clear he was not amused. "You stink."

"You don't enjoy the sweet sweet smell of hard work?" she teased, walking back toward the house they were staying.

"I think I prefer walker guts."

"Ooh, sexy," she cooed, enjoying the gentle expression in Daryl's eyes. "Although, I can honestly say that's a kink I don't share."

"You get used to it." He teased back, and she laughed before turning to head inside. "Are you hitting the shower?" Raising an eyebrow, Laura nodded slowly as if to say - _duh_. "Can I join you?" Smiling slowly, Laura pulled the door open and gestured for him to head inside as if to say _duh._


	7. Chapter 7

The water ran down off the ends of his hair as steam rose up around them, his lips parted slightly as he felt her touch wrapping around his chest, his own fingers tracing the marks that had been etched into her back. In this moment, she smelled of lavender soap- but she tasted like peppermint from old toothpaste. Every bump, ridge and incredibly smooth part of her was alight to him, the heat from her body almost making him shiver.

He could feel the muscles of her back moving as she did, inching her closer as he watched the suds moved further and further down her body. Her eyes were half open as he pressed his lips against her neck, his hand sliding down the curve of her back as she tightened her grip on his back. He could feel the softness of her breasts pressed against him as she whispered something into his ear.

Running her fingers down his back, she moved them over his ass as she moved him suddenly, so his back was against the wall. Daryl smiled, moving his hands up to her face and pulling her in for a kiss. She made him feel alive, as though he was a livewire – he hadn't felt that way in a long time.

There was sudden rush of cold water that made Laura pull back and shriek for a moment, smiling as goosebumps appeared on her skin. He reached for her, pulling her close as he turned off the water. Wrapping her arms around his torso, she laughed into his shoulder as she felt the goosebumps on his skin.

Gripping hair as she ran her hands down his body, Daryl used his teeth to nip at the skin at the base of her neck, sucking in a breath when her hands found their way to his neither regions.

"Laura," he growled, meeting those dark chocolate eyes as they stared at him with sexual tension burning there. He had been say something, but the slow smile that spread across her features made him stop.

"Can I …" she leaned in, her hands tracing the lines of his abdomen down. "-take it to the next level?"

He swallowed and nodded slowly as he pulled her into a kiss as he felt her grip tighten on him. She bit the bottom of his lip before she started moving her kisses down, his own grip on her hair tightening as he put his other hand on the glass for stability.

"Daryl!" Rick's voice cut in, echoing through the room like an unwanted police siren.

"Damn." He growled, helping her up, kissing her firmly once again.

"Daryl? You in here?" Rick's voice again, louder – closer.

Sighing, Daryl opened the door and pulling a towel inside as he pried himself away from Laura, moving quickly to where Rick's voice had come from. Rick turned, a coy smile coming over his face as he looked Daryl up and down. A small puddle was forming underneath him as he gave Rick an exasperated look.

"Wow, that's…" Rick rubbed his chin to prevent himself from laughing. "That towel is a bit small for you man."

"Get out," Daryl growled, glancing back to where he saw Laura crossing back to the bedroom. "now."

"I thought you were going to go back with Carol," Rick chuckled, following his gaze. "But I can arr-

"Just…." Daryl gestured as his reply, turning around. "-don't let Carol leave without us."

/

"So," Carol started, looking at Daryl as he walked beside her. His eyes were totally focused on Laura up ahead, killing a walker with a well-placed blow of an ice pick. "trying to save water?"

He glanced at her with an unamused expression. "What?"

"Oh come on," Carol chuckled. "Both of you with wet hair, that sort of after sex glow-"

"We haven't." Daryl corrected, clearing his throat. "We keep getting interrupted."

"Seriously?" Carol shook her head. "-even after three days of you both practically have been undressing each other with yours eyes? I thought-"

"We are not having this conversation."

"What?" Carol laughed, watching him blush. "Oh, so know we can't talk about sex?"

"When have we _ever_ talked about it?"

"What's so funny?" Laura asked as they came up to her.

"Oh nothing," Carol shrugged, turning her head to the sound of moaning as it echoed through the trees. "Just sex and the finer things in life."

"We should get moving." Daryl cut in, running a hand through his hair as he moved, catching the look exchanged between the two women. The laughter that followed made him smile – not that he'd ever admit it.

The rest of the walk was fairly easy, the three of them killing any walkers that came their way. It was closer to the Kingdom that they realise something was amiss. Jogging forward, they all saw that there more lookouts than normal – even when they'd been there only a few days before.

The second they were inside, Carol sought out Ezekiel while Daryl suggested talking to Morgan.

"Hey Daryl," Morgan greeted them as they came up, extending a hand to them both "Laura. What brings you here?"

"Carol," Daryl answered, nodding towards where Carol had gone. "What's going on?"

"Saviours," Morgan growled, shaking his head. "Stragglers. Came by in the night. There also some signs that a horde is moving towards us."

"A horde?" Daryl asked, feeling skeptical.

"I can see that," Laura said, removing the mask that protected her face. "There did seem to be more of them moving through town the last few times. I thought it was a bit odd, but then again, there are so many out there. It feels weird to be in a space that doesn't have them."

"Yeah, I hear that," Morgan nodded. "Do you have any idea where they might be coming from?"

Laura shrugged, shoving her hands in her pockets. "Not really. I could climb up with a pair of binoculars and find out. It would be easy enough. I already have a place to stay, and chickens to feed."

"That would be a great help for us if you could," Ezekiel's voice cut in and they turned to greet him. "You must be Laura."

"Hi," she extended her hand, looking uncertain as to whose hand she was shaking. "You're?"

"The King."

"Right," Laura's voice conveyed everything that needed to be said about that current situation. "-of what, exactly?"

He laughed, gripping her hand with the same intensity as she was. "I'm Ezekiel, I'm the leader of this here place of wonder." Raising an eyebrow, Laura pursed her lips as she clearly was trying to decide what scale of crazy he was on. "I've heard things about you."

"Oh dear," Laura shifted uneasily, glancing to Daryl. "I can't imagine."

"Anyway," Daryl interjected, huffing a bit. "If you are going to scout out the horde, I am coming with you."

"Me too," Morgan said softly. "I wouldn't go anywhere alone right now."

"Well," Ezekiel slapped Laura on the back. "It's settled then," squeezing Laura's shoulder gently, he gave her a gentle smile. "And many thanks for your help getting us more supplies."

"You're welcome," she replied, smiling back. "I hope it helps."

"Will you all need supplies for the road?" Ezekiel questioned.

"Probably," Morgan nodded. "What do you think?"

"There is still loads of food and supplies back at the bunker." Laura stated easily. "If we need to stay overnight."

"We can head out soon," Morgan offered, standing straighter. "I will just grab a jacket and we can be off."

Watching as Morgan and Ezekiel both wandered away, Laura reached out and took Daryl's pinky in hers, giving him a small grin. "Back again, jiggity jig."

"I have something I want to get while we're there."

"Oh?"

"A padlock."

She laughed as he smiled, feeling the heat creeping up her neck. "I think that's a great idea."


	8. Chapter 8

It was the seventh apartment on the fifth floor that made her stomach turn. She'd forced the door open with little to no trouble, it had been the smell that first made her gag. Stagnant air comingled with rotting food and decaying bodies was a powerful combination. Holding her breath, Laura walking in slowly – grimacing at the body of a person who'd shot themselves to avoid living in this new world.

The cabinets had some decent canned goods – beans mostly – but there was also a small amount of protein bars which could be a nice addition to their food stores. The kitchen was small, so there was only so much to go through before heading into the bathroom.

Opening the first door between her and the bathroom made her cry out and jump back – her heart racing with sadness rather than fear.

Daryl and Morgan were suddenly behind her, looking in and finding it equally as sad.

A crib stood in the bedroom, where slow, moaning cries seemed to echo within the four walls. She could see it through the slats, it's decomposing flesh and small fingers reaching out for them like the rest of the undead.

Morgan moved past them, ending it's suffering with a swift motion, looking back disgusted. He didn't say anything as he moved past, the boys leaving Laura to go through the bathroom cabinets by herself.

/

While they explored a small sporting goods store near the apartment complex, Laura smashed the glass that kept the pocket knives and threw many of the multiuse tools into a hiking backpack she'd managed to get down from the highest rack. When that was done, she told the guys that she'd be heading into the back.

Clicking her flashlight on, she climbed up on the storage racks to pull off any portable water bladders, sewing kits, water filters, and soap. There was a portable camp stove still in its box that she shoved into the bag. She also pocketed whistles, another compass, glow sticks and other sort of emergency camping gear that they could use. There were little electrolyte gummies, that she had used before, in boxes that she also threw in. Para cord bracelets and other small things she grabbed in handfuls, but she stopped when she came to the shoes section.

Biting her lip, she debated the usefulness of having good shoes for people – but decided that could be another trip.

As she was exiting the back, she saw a jar of something called _seed vault_ , which turned out to be powdered veggies. Grimacing at the thought, she threw a few jars in – just in case.

"Laura," Morgan called out. "You ready?"

"Yeah!" she called back, jogging to meet them at the front door before heading out.

/

The walk back to the bunker was framed by a red filled sky, amber rays bleeding out to make an orange and yellow collage in the sky. Such a beautiful sky was met with the smell of rot in the air, wafting upwards as the heat made any skin touching the red-hot cement melt into the crevices. Half-hearted moaning of minds no longer able to dream was the music that filled these streets, evoking sadness and hunger in all that heard it.

If the small group had not been tired as they descend from what had been the epicenter of the city, the quiet, diseased streets created a cloud over their moods. The packs on their backs felt like they'd been filled with led, their shoes with cement.

Seeing the overly barricaded house made Laura breathe a sigh of relief. She knew what was inside. Blankets, a soft bed, pillows, and a warm meal. No matter how many nightmares had been created there, she had overcome them – and other people had benefited from the selfishness and evil of the people who'd created the place. It was no longer a hellhole, but a little ray of sunshine.

Once they were all inside the fence, Laura tossed Daryl the key as she needed to feed the chickens. She'd given the birds enough before leaving, plus there was plenty of space for them to wander around. Using the top part of the backpack to collect the eggs, she apologized to the girls for leaving them for so long, before heading down into the bunker.

Daryl had collected the portable generator and brought it down to pull the induction cook top into. Morgan had looked through the garden and found a ripe zucchini and small handful of other vegetables they could cook.

"Here are some eggs," Laura passed the waist pack to him, grinning as she watched him roll up his sleeves to cook. "You sure you don't want help?"

"You relax."

She chuckled as she grabbed all the bags – some picked up while wandering the apartment building – and started laying out everything they'd managed to pick up. Separating everything into medical supplies, general survival gear and necessities.

They had gathered several bottles of Advil, Motrin, Aleve, and Tylenol. Pads and tampons had been thrown in, and having gone through most of the bathrooms in the apartment complex, they had a sizable pile. Diapers too, as they made for sanitary alternatives to bandages. There was a large amount of expired prescriptions ranging from pain killers to anti-depressants. Toothpaste, floss, razors, soap, nail clippers, cotton swabs and q-tips made up another chunk of things found. Bleach had been found too, though not in as much of a supply as they might have wanted.

As for general supplies, there was plenty of tin foil, assorted household tools – hammers and nails were a godsend, according to Morgan – lighters, towels, batteries, rolls of duct tape, coffee filters, egg cartons, condoms, pantyhose, and dog and cat food was among the general supplies found. Laura had collected a small scattering of sewing needles and thread that she grabbed from a hidey hole in the wall, adding it to the pile.

Of course, there was other items as well. Socks – all sorts – underwear from the stores, some used that could be cleaned and used by other people. Morgan had grabbed shirts in a variety of sizes, along with pants and bras. Bras were useful for many things, not just their underwire. Laura had made sure to grab as many bras as she could get her hands on, along with any leather items that she came across. Leather was bite proof, and hard to rip – it was more likely to be cut than anything. So, there was a small pile of leather jackets on the floor of the bunker when she'd finished.

On the way back, she'd asked to hit a store that was a supplement retailer – incurring a few jokes about how steroids wouldn't help anyone. But inside she'd grabbed protein power and other powdered drinks that could be used to help ward off sore muscles and aid in the overall calorie consumption they needed to maintain. There were also protein bars and other prepacked goods, along with everything she'd gathered from the camping store.

"Think we have enough?" Morgan asked, interrupting her thoughts. Laura glanced up, amused to see him cutting up the zucchini, like the doom of the world outside didn't exist.

"A lot for one person," Laura contemplated, trying to think back to how many survivors were at the different compounds. "I'm not sure how far it goes with a hundred."

"Farther than you'd think," Morgan offered, smiling. "That apartment complex was a good place to hit."

"Yeah." Daryl agreed.

"I feel like I'm robbing ghosts," Laura admitted, looking at the clothing piles. "I get that they aren't using it anymore, but…"

"It's never easy," Morgan agreed, looking back to his vegetables. "but we can honor them by not letting the idea of who they were go to waste."

"True," Laura sighed as she started folding and rolling the clothing to fit better into the bags. "At least animals can't suffer anymore."

"What?" Daryl asked, sounding confused.

"I was just thinking how if most people are dead – undead – and most planes and things can't fly anymore, that the animals hunted to the brink would be safe from us." Laura replied, not looking up.

The two men exchanged a glance as they continued cooking, changing the subject to something happier as they awaited dinner.

/

With everything packed away, and stomachs full of scrambled eggs and fried vegetables, the trio got ready for sleep in much the same way they normally did. Laura had locked the door to the bunker for the inside, checking that everything was sound before settling into a pair of shorts and a shirt.

Morgan had initially refused a shirt to sleep in, but changed his mind after a while – which was nice, since that meant they could all relax in the same attire without the threat of being attacked in the night.

At the same time, she felt restless. Anxiety wracked her mind, though she tried to fight it, making sleep harder than she'd thought. It was when Daryl had finally lay beside her, pulling a blanket up around them both before kissing her forehead gently.

"What's up?"

"Nothing rational," she replied easily, sighing a little. "Seeing that baby…really bothered me."

"Yeah, it's fucked up," he growled, moving hair out of her face. "Is that all keeping you awake?"

Laura nodded, relaxing in him. "You?"

"Restless," he whispered. "don't like have the Saviours out there still while people are trying to rebuild. Or that horde."

"Yeah," she agreed sleepily. "That's…a lot. I still haven't wrapped my head around the fact their leader is in a basement of a house."

Daryl groaned unhappily. "A lot of people disagreed with that decision."

"I think…" she paused, wondering if it was her place to comment. "that death is too easy for people like that."

He stared at her, reflections of pain and pride, fear and anxiety creeping into his expression.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, aware she shouldn't have brought it up.

"It's not your fault."

"It's not yours either." She reminded him gently, searching his face for something to tell her he believed that.

"Did you forgive them?" he asked in a whisper, his voice shaky.

Laura paused for a moment, letting herself embrace the rush of feelings that came over her.

Did she hate them? _Yes._

Had she _honestly_ forgiven them? Yes and _no._

Did she want revenge? _No._

Had she forgiven herself? _Yes._

"I'm trying to forgive them," she replied after a minute. "for me. They will always be guilty, but I am not - will not - be trapped by what happened."

He looked forlorn for a moment. "I'm not sure I can."

"And that's ok."

"But I _hate_ him, Laura."

"That's still ok."

"When does it all go away?" he asked, his voice barely audible, voice cracking.

"I don't know," she whispered back. "I really don't know."

Holding each other tight, they fell asleep in silence – trying to keep the demons at bay.


	9. Chapter 9

t was the seventh apartment on the fifth floor that made her stomach turn. She'd forced the door open with little to no trouble, it had been the smell that first made her gag. Stagnant air comingled with rotting food and decaying bodies was a powerful combination. Holding her breath, Laura walking in slowly – grimacing at the body of a person who'd shot themselves to avoid living in this new world.

The cabinets had some decent canned goods – beans mostly – but there was also a small amount of protein bars which could be a nice addition to their food stores. The kitchen was small, so there was only so much to go through before heading into the bathroom.

Opening the first door between her and the bathroom made her cry out and jump back – her heart racing with sadness rather than fear.

Daryl and Morgan were suddenly behind her, looking in and finding it equally as sad.

A crib stood in the bedroom, where slow, moaning cries seemed to echo within the four walls. She could see it through the slats, it's decomposing flesh and small fingers reaching out for them like the rest of the undead.

Morgan moved past them, ending it's suffering with a swift motion, looking back disgusted. He didn't say anything as he moved past, the boys leaving Laura to go through the bathroom cabinets by herself.

* * *

While they explored a small sporting goods store near the apartment complex, Laura smashed the glass that kept the pocket knives and threw many of the multiuse tools into a hiking backpack she'd managed to get down from the highest rack. When that was done, she told the guys that she'd be heading into the back.

Clicking her flashlight on, she climbed up on the storage racks to pull off any portable water bladders, sewing kits, water filters, and soap. There was a portable camp stove still in its box that she shoved into the bag. She also pocketed whistles, another compass, glow sticks and other sort of emergency camping gear that they could use. There were little electrolyte gummies, that she had used before, in boxes that she also threw in. Para cord bracelets and other small things she grabbed in handfuls, but she stopped when she came to the shoes section.

Biting her lip, she debated the usefulness of having good shoes for people – but decided that could be another trip.

As she was exiting the back, she saw a jar of something called _seed vault_ , which turned out to be powdered veggies. Grimacing at the thought, she threw a few jars in – just in case.  
"Laura," Morgan called out. "You ready?"

"Yeah!" she called back, jogging back to where they waited at the front door.

* * *

The walk back to the bunker was framed by a red filled sky, amber rays bleeding out to make an orange and yellow collage in the sky. Such a beautiful sky was met with the smell of rot in the air, wafting upwards as the heat made any skin touching the red-hot cement melt into the crevices. Half-hearted moaning of minds no longer able to dream was the music that filled these streets, evoking sadness and hunger in all that heard it.

If the small group had not been tired as they descend from what had been the epicenter of the city, the quiet, diseased streets created a cloud over their moods. The packs on their backs felt like they'd been filled with led, their shoes with cement.

Seeing the overly barricaded house made Laura breathe a sigh of relief. She knew what was inside. Blankets, a soft bed, pillows, and a warm meal. No matter how many nightmares had been created there, she had overcome them – and other people had benefited from the selfishness and evil of the people who'd created the place. It was no longer a hellhole, but a little ray of sunshine.

Once they were all inside the fence, Laura tossed Daryl the key as she needed to feed the chickens. She'd given the birds enough before leaving, plus there was plenty of space for them to wander around. Using the top part of the backpack to collect the eggs, she apologized to the girls for leaving them for so long, before heading down into the bunker.

Daryl had collected the portable generator and brought it down to pull the induction cook top into. Morgan had looked through the garden and found a ripe zucchini and small handful of other vegetables they could cook.

"Here are some eggs," Laura passed the waist pack to him, grinning as she watched him roll up his sleeves to cook. "You sure you don't want help?"

"You relax."

She chuckled as she grabbed all the bags – some picked up while wandering the apartment building – and started laying out everything they'd managed to pick up. Separating everything into medical supplies, general survival gear and necessities.

They had gathered several bottles of Advil, Motrin, Aleve, and Tylenol. Pads and tampons had been thrown in, and having gone through most of the bathrooms in the apartment complex, they had a sizable pile. Diapers too, as they made for sanitary alternatives to bandages. There was a large amount of expired prescriptions ranging from pain killers to anti-depressants. Toothpaste, floss, razors, soap, nail clippers, cotton swabs and q-tips made up another chunk of things found. Bleach had been found too, though not in as much of a supply as they might have wanted.

As for general supplies, there was plenty of tin foil, assorted household tools – hammers and nails were a godsend, according to Morgan – lighters, towels, batteries, rolls of duct tape, coffee filters, egg cartons, condoms, pantyhose, and dog and cat food was among the general supplies found. Laura had collected a small scattering of sewing needles and thread that she grabbed from a hidey hole in the wall, adding it to the pile.

Of course, there was other items as well. Socks – all sorts – underwear from the stores, some used that could be cleaned and used by other people. Morgan had grabbed shirts in a variety of sizes, along with pants and bras. Bras were useful for many things, not just their underwire. Laura had made sure to grab as many bras as she could get her hands on, along with any leather items that she came across. Leather was bite proof, and hard to rip – it was more likely to be cut than anything. So, there was a small pile of leather jackets on the floor of the bunker when she'd finished.

On the way back, she'd asked to hit a store that was a supplement retailer – incurring a few jokes about how steroids wouldn't help anyone. But inside she'd grabbed protein power and other powdered drinks that could be used to help ward off sore muscles and aid in the overall calorie consumption they needed to maintain. There were also protein bars and other prepacked goods, along with everything she'd gathered from the camping store.

"Think we have enough?" Morgan asked, interrupting her thoughts. Laura glanced up, amused to see him cutting up the zucchini, like the doom of the world outside didn't exist.

"A lot for one person," Laura contemplated, trying to think back to how many survivors were at the different compounds. "I'm not sure how far it goes with a hundred."

"Farther than you'd think," Morgan offered, smiling. "That apartment complex was a good place to hit."

"Yeah." Daryl agreed.

"I feel like I'm robbing ghosts," Laura admitted, looking at the clothing piles. "I get that they aren't using it anymore, but…"

"It's never easy," Morgan agreed, looking back to his vegetables. "but we can honor them by not letting the idea of who they were go to waste."

"True," Laura sighed as she started folding and rolling the clothing to fit better into the bags. "At least animals can't suffer anymore."

"What?" Daryl asked, sounding confused.

"I was just thinking how if most people are dead – undead – and most planes and things can't fly anymore, that the animals hunted to the brink would be safe from us." Laura replied, not looking up.

The two men exchanged a glance as they continued cooking, changing the subject to something happier as they awaited dinner.

* * *

With everything packed away, and stomachs full of scrambled eggs and fried vegetables, the trio got ready for sleep in much the same way they normally did. Laura had locked the door to the bunker for the inside, checking that everything was sound before settling into a pair of shorts and a shirt.

Morgan had initially refused a shirt to sleep in, but changed his mind after a while – which was nice, since that meant they could all relax in the same attire without the threat of being attacked in the night.

At the same time, she felt restless. Anxiety wracked her mind, though she tried to fight it, making sleep harder than she'd thought. It was when Daryl had finally lay beside her, pulling a blanket up around them both before kissing her forehead gently.

"What's up?"

"Nothing rational," she replied easily, sighing a little. "Seeing that baby…really bothered me."

"Yeah, it's fucked up," he growled, moving hair out of her face. "Is that all keeping you awake?"

Laura nodded, relaxing in his grasp. "You?"

"Restless," he whispered. "don't like have the Saviours out there still while people are trying to rebuild. Or that horde."

"Yeah," she agreed sleepily. "That's…a lot. I still haven't wrapped my head around the fact their leader is in a basement of a house."

Daryl growled unhappily. "A lot of people disagreed with that decision."

"I think…" she paused, wondering if it was her place to comment. "that death is too easy for people like that."

He stared at her, reflections of pain and pride, fear and anxiety creeping into his expression.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, aware she shouldn't have brought it up.

"It's not your fault."

"It's not yours either." She reminded him gently, searching his face for something to tell her he believed that.

"Did you forgive them?" he asked in a whisper, his voice shaky.

Laura paused for a moment, letting herself embrace the rush of feelings that came over her.

Did she hate them? _Yes.  
_  
Had she _honestly_ forgiven them? Yes and _no.  
_  
Did she want revenge? _No.  
_  
Had she forgiven herself? _Yes.  
_  
"I'm trying to forgive them," she replied after a minute. "for me. They will always be guilty, but I am not - will not - be trapped by what happened."

He looked forlorn for a moment. "I'm not sure I can."

"And that's ok."

"But I _hate_ him, Laura."

"That's still ok."

"When does it all go away?" he asked, his voice barely audible, voice cracking.

"I don't know," she whispered back. "I really don't know."

Holding each other tight, they fell asleep in silence – trying to keep the demons at bay.


	10. Chapter 10

The crisp morning air was purifying as it was invigorating, sending ripples of goosebumps over her exposed skin. There wasn't a lot of wind, just…enough. Birds sang from the rooftops and power lines, creating a chorus with the movement of the leaves.

He watched as a strand of hair moved across her skin as she turned to greet him, offering a half smile.

If had been another time, or place, he would have gone over and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her cheek as he whispered good morning, being greeted with the warmth in those big dark eyes. The music of the animals and the sweet whisper of the wind the only sound they needed.

If had been another time, or place, she might have been wearing a pretty pastel dress flowing in the breeze, windswept curls sweeping back any sign of troubled times.

Though, admittedly, the site of her in old shorts and a sports bra was equally compelling.

"Morning," he growled, running a hand through his hair.

"Morning," she grinned, approaching. "Sleep ok?"

He nodded, glancing over at the barbeque and smelling eggs and meat sizzling away in the frying pan. "Smells good."

Laura shrugged, looking back out to the scenic view beyond the spikes on the fence. Putting her hands on the small of her back, she seemed lost in it all. Reaching out to brush her hair off her shoulder, he felt the coldness in her skin melt away in his hand. "You ok?"

"Yeah," she breathed, leaning into him. "Just lost in another world."

"How long have you been up?"

"Not long," she replied, stirring to move the eggs around. "When do you guys want to get going?"

"Definitely after we eat," Daryl stated, looking around. "Do you want to bring some vegetables or anything with us? You could start a garden back at Alexandria."

Laura didn't answer right away, but she was watching him carefully from the corner of her eyes. "Do you really want to stay in Alexandria?"

He felt a bit surprised by the question, though it was not the first time it had been posed to him. "As long as everyone I care about wants to stay, I'll stay."

Laura nodded, returning her gaze to the meal as she started piling the eggs onto a plate, flipping the strips of meat over. He could see the scars running under her bra, horrors that he did know – didn't need to know. There was nothing about those scars that made him curious, yet he ached to touch them – feeling the new life – hope - that had grown over the hurt.

"You?" he asked softly, running his fingers down her spine.

She turned and handed him the plate of eggs, a cheeky grin revealing her thoughts and feelings. "I'm with you dude."

Daryl couldn't help but smile, seeing the image of windswept curls and pastel colours laying gently against her skin. The smell of peppermint and lavender were dancing in his memory, projecting the pastel colours of his vision. He could smell a lifetime of knee-weakening kisses and taste happiness on his tongue.

He wasn't used to feeling sentimental. Not since Beth – and even then, Beth probably wouldn't even recognize him as he was now. If she'd lived, could he recognise her now?

"Daryl?" Laura asked, the red, red, tinge of her lipstick fading away as the colour returned to the background.

"Yeah, I…just," he started, taking the plate.

"Daydreaming?" she asked gently, leaning in to kiss him. He kissed her back, running his hands through her hair, not wanting to pull away.

"A bit, yeah," he breathed when she'd pulled away. "I'll…go get Morgan."

"Ok," Laura nodded, shaking her head and putting some leftover veggies onto the pan.

* * *

As Laura locked up the bunker, Daryl and Morgan had fed the chickens and collected any eggs that had been lain – putting them in containers for the road home.

"Hey, Daryl," Morgan cut into the silence. "You and Laura, it's a bit soon, isn't it?" Daryl shrugged as he closed the chicken coop. "I mean, there's no doubt you have a connection. I just always thought you and Carol were a thing."

Daryl laughed, rolling his eyes. "She's like my sister. I love her, but _never_ like that."

Morgan laughed with him, nodding in understanding. "I had a friend like that in college. I hated when people asked if we were together." Morgan glanced over to where Laura was now heaving her pack onto her back. "I just don't want to see you hurt man. You mean so much to a lot of people."

"She's not the heartbreaking type." Daryl said flatly, looking at Laura as well.

"There's a type for that?" Morgan questioned, smiling as Daryl shrugged again. "Well I'm happy for you, if she's who you want."

"Are we walking or driving?" Laura asked, pulling her facemask out of her pocket.

"Driving," Daryl said. "you have a car in mind?"

"I think so," she replied. "providing you know how to hotwire a car, cause I think zombies ate the keys."

* * *

"So," Rick breathed, leaning over the table. "You think they'll be here in a few days?"

The meeting room – an old classroom – at the Kingdom held Carol, Daryl, Jesus, Maggie and Ezekiel.

"I do," Morgan replied. "and there seems to be a larger than normal amount of them too."

"And there is no way they'll go around?" Maggie asked, a hand on her abdomen, where her baby was kicking.

"I don't think so," Morgan shook his head. "It was like…."

"Like they're searching." Dary offered, and Morgan nodded.

"Searching?" Jesus asked, putting his elbows on his knees. "For what?"

"Food? Who knows?" Rick grumbled, sitting roughly in a chair. "What matters is that they are very clearly coming this way, and we need to find a way to divert them."

"Just because they are coming this way doesn't mean they are going to stay." Maggie pointed out.

"What is they don't move through, though." Carol pointed out. "It would be hard for most of us to go out for supplies _and_ try to fortify everything at the same time. We can't risk the integrity of our communities _and_ threats from the remainder of the Saviours."

"I agree." Rick blurted out, putting his feet up on the table.

"I think everything is risky at this point," Ezekiel stated, clasping his hands together. "but we can't pour manpower into a futile mission. People are tired. They've had too much bad news and fear for too long."

"It could just be a select few of us," Daryl offered, having just taken in all they were saying. "but I don't think we should conceal this threat. That's not right."

"I agree with Daryl," Maggie nodded. "We can't start hiding things from people. That's not who we are."

"I think Ezekiel is trying to highlight that people don't want any more negativity," Rick said, enunciating each part of the last word. "Everything we do know _cements_ who we are, and what we fought for. And I think…in this scenario, it's better to ask forgiveness than permission."

"What happens when the next threat comes?" Laura's voice cut in, she was standing the doorway with Carl and Tara behind her. "There will always be something, bigger than the last battle or worse than your last enemy."

"I'm sorry but this is a private conversation." Rick stood, eyeing Laura.

"Dad," Carl interjected. "She's one of us."

"No," Rick stood, shaking his head. "She's here because of Daryl, not because of us – as a group."

"That's a bit rich, don't you think," Laura snarled. "You _asked_ me to come here."

"And I'm grateful you did," Rick replied, his voice low and calm – like a snake charmer. "but that doesn't mean you get a say in big decisions."

"So, says the Julius Caesar to the poor plebes." Laura scoffed, pushing herself off the doorframe and walking away.

"She has a point," Maggie stated, getting murmurers of agreement. "Haven't we seen that this whole time? There is always _something_ , and when as leaving out details ever helped us? Never."

"As leaders," Rick shook his head again, rubbing his temple. "sometimes leaving out a detail or two is necessary. As for Laura," he looked at Daryl. "she's great, but still an outsider."

Daryl said nothing, watching Rick intensely – careful not to glare – as he stood up. "Seems like we're getting nowhere fast. I'll be outside."

"Daryl," Jesus called out to him, standing briefly. "Wait-"

"We could," Carol said after a moment, speaking softly. "do exactly what Laura did with her house. Create a barricade and let them hit that first."

"Could we do that in three days?" Morgan asked.

"If we worked hard," Carol shrugged. "maybe."

"No," Rick sighed. "It's too big of an area."

"Well," Maggie huffed. "We should at least let everyone know. We can do some good supply runs in the next few days, maybe hitting more of the places Laura took you guys last time. Give us some time to brainstorm while we hunker down."

"I think we should at least think about hitting the hospital in town. Take a team with a few cars and just bring back whatever we can." Jesus suggested. "Laura seems to have a good handle on distracting the walkers, and we could _really_ use the supplies. If we're lucky, we might even find a survival who's a doctor."

"Yeah," Rick groaned. "we should sleep on it, come back with a few ideas."

"Agreed." Ezekiel said standing, offering a hand to Maggie. "Are you heading back to Hilltop tonight my dear?"

"Are you kidding?" she chuckled, tapping her abdomen. "Not with this little guy ready to burst."

"Well, then I will make sure you have the best room."

"Hey Ezekiel," Carol interjected.

"Yes?"

"There is one thing you can do."

* * *

"You wanted to see us?" Daryl asked, walking in step with Laura, coming up to Ezekiel. He was standing in front of a small house, Shiva lying nearby on the grass - happily enjoying the sunshine.

"Ah, yes," he grinned at them, tossing something in the air – which Laura caught. "A little birdy told me you both needed this." Laura opened and shut her mouth, smiling awkwardly back at him with confusion. "Should be an interesting night for you both."

"What?" Daryl blinked at him, glancing at Laura and the blush spreading over her face. She held out her hand so he could see the item, old like the building. "Is that a key?"

"It is indeed," Ezekiel beamed, putting a hand on Daryl's shoulder. "and the great part is, that the door _locks_."

Laura started laughing in that awkward way, covering her mouth with a hand to stop the sound, exchanging a look with Daryl as Ezekiel chuckled and started walking away. "Be safe, you two."

Daryl grumbled as he ran a hand through his hair. "I'm going to have a talk with Carol."


End file.
